AB 1897 Is Now Law

Governor Brown recently signed AB 1897 into law which has eliminated certain protections and defensible positions once afforded to clients of Labor Contractors.

The ability of these Labor Clients to keep employees at arms length is over. Now the client will directly share a responsibiilty with the labor contractor on a wide range of employment, safety, and insurance issues. The bill, which was championed by the Teamsters and big labor, has opened the door for Cal-Osha, the Labor Commissioner, and EDD to effectively target both the contractor and the Labor Client for violations of any statute currently on the books.

In short, any mistake made by the Labor Contractor is now also the clients responsibility.

This legislation will require a much better vetting process when it comes time to hire out labor, especially in the Farm Labor Contractor arena. It is increasingly important for Client companies to ask the right questions, put together a vetting checklist, and know how to properly research a potential contractor of your labor.

Or better yet, contact me and we can discuss the many ways to be sure you are dealing with someone that will not become a burden to your bottom line.